Wrestling

Vietnamese wrestler Nguyễn Công Mạnh (right) takes on Apichai Natal of Thailand during the semi-finals of the men's 72kg Greco-Roman wrestling in the 32nd SEA Games. Mạnh is expected to represent Việt Nam at the 33rd Games in December in Thailand. VNS Photo Việt An

HÀ NỘI Vietnamese wrestlers have dominated the ASEAN region for decades, and are expected to remain in the top spot at the SEA Games later this year.

In the last three years, the national team swept almost of the gold medals at the Games.

They took 12 out of 14 gold medals in the 30th Games in the Philippines, 17 out of 18 in the 31st Games on home ground, and 13 out of 30 in the 32nd Games in Cambodia.

Now, Việt Nam have set a target of six gold medals and the top podium in wrestling at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand this December.

According to the national coaching board, this goal is lower than the team's previous achievements, because there are only 12 weight categories in this edition, divided equally between the men's and women's freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines.

"In addition to the remarkable decrease of the categories, we also face other difficulties," said Tạ Tùng Đức of the Sports Authority of Việt Nam.

"Some countries have imported athletes to increase their chances of winning titles. Meanwhile, some of Việt Nam's defending champions cannot take part in the Games, for different reasons. All of this will affect our capacity to bring home titles."

Cambodia has naturalised athletes like Sou Bali and Mo Sari, who took the top spots from Vietnamese wrestlers in the Greco-Roman events at the 32nd Games. They will fly to Thailand to defend their titles.

Meanwhile Indonesia have sent their competitors to China and Europe to sharpen their skills.

However, Đức said, if Việt Nam can make six gold medals in Thailand, the team would definitely defend its first-place position overall.

Coach Tạ Ngọc Tân said that after Lunar New Year holiday, his athletes returned to training in early February. This year they were not allowed to take part in village wrestling festivals, a regular annual activity for many national wrestlers, to avoid unexpected injuries.

In addition to the SEA Games, Việt Nam will also compete in different international tournaments throughout the year.

Tân said the main target in 2025 is to ensure Việt Nam's top ranking in Thailand, as well as seeking Olympic places in Los Angeles in 2028.

Vietnamese wrestlers practise at the National Sports and Training Centre 1 in Hà Nội. VNS Photo Minh Minh

According to the coaches, Việt Nam can only compete for Olympic slots in female wrestling, because the male wrestlers' abilities are far behind the continental and world level.

However, the nation's female wrestlers do not have an easy task ahead of them, as they failed in their 2020 and 2024 Olympic campaigns.

Tân said the team's managers are negotiating with an American expert to train the women wrestlers, while mobilising financial sources to send athletes to training camps and competitions abroad.

Vietnamese wrestlers who have previously won Olympic places include Nguyễn Thị Lụa in the 2012 London Olympics, and Vũ Thị Hằng and Lụa in 2016 in Brazil. VNS